Sherwood pleased with Redknapp link

Last updated : 26 December 2013

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Spurs chairman Daniel Levy took a huge gamble on Monday when he appointed managerial novice Sherwood as the club's new head coach until the end of next season.

The 44-year-old's only previous managerial experience has been with the north Londoners' youth teams, yet Levy believes he can bring excitement back to White Hart Lane following Andre Villas-Boas' sacking.

Sherwood appears to be the polar opposite to his Portuguese predecessor, although there are striking similarities with another former Tottenham manager.

Redknapp brought Sherwood back to Spurs as part of his coaching staff in 2008 and some have dubbed the new manager 'Young Harry', thanks to his mannerisms and approach to the game.

"That's got to be a compliment, hasn't it?" Sherwood said. "I wouldn't mind following his career and I wouldn't mind being a pound note behind him as well.

"I am not trying to be Harry Redknapp but it is a simple game, though, isn't it?

"If you can't pass the ball to your own team-mates then you have a serious problem because you are going to have to keep on defending.

"That's what we did in the first half at Southampton. But moving forward we just have to try to get the players better."

The 3-2 victory at St Mary's - Sherwood's first in senior football - came in swashbuckling style, with the attack-heavy side likened to Ossie Ardiles' Famous Five.

It is a philosophy which looks set to continue when West Brom visit on Boxing Day and moving forward.

"I think with the calibre of the players we have at Tottenham we shouldn't have a dull game," Sherwood said.

"As long as they are playing in their correct areas of the field and allowed to express themselves. That's what I would say.

"I always maintain that when you come into a football club there are very few that give you a script saying 'You need to play like this'. Swansea are a good example.

"Someone who goes in there cannot rip up their philosophy and say 'I'm going to play back to front.' It's not going to happen.

"In an ideal world everyone wants to build an identity for their football club and say 'Tottenham I know are going to play like that'. Well, at the moment we don't."